CHESS OPENING BOOKS

The first phase of a chess game is known as the Chess Opening. It is during this phase of the chess game that the initial moves are made. Similarly, those moves are commonly referred to in the chess world as the “Chess Opening”. While there are literally billions of possible positions after the first 4 moves have been made in a game of chess (288 billion to be exact), only a small number of these chess openings have been studied by chess professionals and chess computers and deemed to be sound for practical play.

To help differentiate one chess opening from another, each chess opening is given a unique name to identify it. While it is common for a chess opening to be named after the player/s that introduced them to popular play, including the Benko Gambit (after Grandmaster Pal Benko), the Sicilian Najdorf (named after Grandmaster Miguel Najdorf) and the Philidor Defense (named after Francois-Andre Danican Philidor), this is not always the case Some chess openings are named after the locations and/or cultures in which they originated, including the London System, the French Defense, the Sicilian Defense, The English Opening and the Vienna Game. While others are named after the pieces that are moved during that opening, including the Queen’s Pawn Gambit and the King’s Indian Defense.

There are 6 basic objectives during the chess opening. They are Piece Development, Control of the Center of the Board, King Safety, Prevention of Pawn Weakness, Piece Coordination and to Create positions in which the player is more comfortable than the opponent.

    Play the 4. f3 Nimzo-Indian
    The Most Aggressive Response to the Nimzo Explained by One of it's Leading Exponents
    The Nimzo-Indian is an extremely popular and reliable defence, upon which most world champions have relied at some point in their careers. Black controls the vital e4-square with his pieces, and retains total flexibility with his central pawns. By playing 4. f3, White challenges Black's idea head-on. Either Black grants White control of e4, or else he must commit his pawn to d5, whereupon White can begin concrete action in the center.
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    Play the 4. f3 Nimzo-Indian
    The Most Aggressive Response to the Nimzo Explained by One of it's Leading Exponents
    Catalog Code: B0035GB
    Our Price: $14.95

    The Meran System
    Unravels the Mysteries of a Rich and Complex Chess Opening
    The Meran is an opening rich in both strategy and tactics, making it ideal for players seeking to win with either colour. It occupies an important place in the repertoires of many of the world's top players, with Anand, Kramnik, Kasparov and Karpov regularly taking one side or the other.
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    The Meran System
    Unravels the Mysteries of a Rich and Complex Chess Opening
    Catalog Code: B0006GB

    Regular Price: $21.95

    Special Price: $8.78


    Play the Open Games as Black
    What to Do When White Avoids the Ruy Lopez
    his book fills a gaping chasm in chess literature. For years, those who wish to take on the black side of the Ruy Lopez have had to muddle their way through against the variety of alternative openings at White's disposal. This book gives a choice of systems for Black, to counter anything White might try in order to avoid the Ruy Lopez - the Scotch, King's Gambit, Italian Game, Four Knights, etc.
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    Play the Open Games as Black
    What to Do When White Avoids the Ruy Lopez
    Catalog Code: B0015GB
    Our Price: $23.95

    Easy Guide to the Nge2 King's Indian
    Winning with the Hungarian Attack
    This book guides you through the main themes of the Hungarian Attack and presents you with a well-organized repertoire, which also includes lines against Benoni. The co-author Forintos is the world's leading expert on this opening and this guide contains a complete and potentially deadly system against the King's Indian and has the first thorough coverage of an aggressive system with surprise value.
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    Easy Guide to the Nge2 King's Indian
    Winning with the Hungarian Attack
    Catalog Code: B0045EM

    Regular Price: $18.95

    Special Price: $7.58


    Modern Defence
    The Modern Defence leads to sharp and dynamic positions from the very first few moves. Black concedes space in the center with a view to launching a counterattack based on his powerful bishop fianchetto. As leading grandmasters such as Alexei Shirov, Mikhail Gurevich and Jon Speelman himself have shown on numerous occasions, when it works, the Modern Defence is truly a spectacular weapon. This book will show you how to put it to use in your own games.
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    Modern Defence
    Catalog Code: B0165EM
    Our Price: $19.95

    Improve Your Opening Play
    Grandmaster Chris Ward explains the important ideas behind every major opening, unravelling among others the secrets of the Sicilian, the mysteries of the Modern and the fundamentals of the French. He emphasizes the need to understand the key elements of each opening rather than simply memorize a series of complicated variations which leave you stranded if the opponent varies from the expected route.
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    Improve Your Opening Play
    Catalog Code: B0214EM

    Regular Price: $14.95

    Special Price: $5.98


    Sveshnikov Sicilian
    The Sveshnikov variation of the Sicilian Defense leads to dynamic positions with free piece play and provides enterprising players with the type of active game on which they can thrive. It became fashionable in the 1970s under the influence of Evgeny Sveshnikov and other grandmasters from Chelyabinsk, and has remained at the cutting edge of opening theory ever since. In recent years it has been a favorite of the exciting young stars Vladimir Kramnik and Alexei Shirov, and of the author himself, all of whom have introduced important new ideas.
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    Sveshnikov Sicilian
    Catalog Code: B0209EM

    Regular Price: $19.95

    Special Price: $7.98


    New Ideas in the Sveshnikov Sicilian
    The Sicilian Defence features many dramatic variations, but for sheer violence, few can equal the Sveshnikov. Black aims for maximum piece activity at the cost of a shattered pawn structure. Black's aim is to seize the initiative, regardless of the cost. If he is successful, then the pawns will look after themselves. On the other hand, white is looking to use black's weaknesses as spring-boards for a ferocious attack of his own.
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    New Ideas in the Sveshnikov Sicilian
    Catalog Code: B0045BT

    Regular Price: $9.95

    Special Price: $3.98


    Beating the Anti-King's Indian
    This book provides a complete repertoire for King's Indian players against all of white's attempts to avoid the main lines. How to defuse attacking systems such as the Four Pawns. Aggressive lines against Exchange Variations. Recommended psychology against unambitious opponents
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    Beating the Anti-King's Indian
    Catalog Code: B0050BT
    Our Price: $9.95

    The Fianchetto King's Indian
    This is White's fianchetto against the King's Indian Defense 1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.Nf3 Bg7 4.g3. An ideal choice for those who want to deny King's Indian players their usual attacking plans. White's harmonious scheme of development, envisaging strong pressure against Black's queenside, has appealed to many of the all-time greats - Alekhine, Botvinnik, Karpov, and Kasparov.
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    The Fianchetto King's Indian
    Catalog Code: B0063BT
    Our Price: $9.95

    Understanding the Spanish
    Understanding an opening is more important the knowing a mass of variations. For no opening is this more true than for the Spanish. The most famous of chess openings leads to a deep strategic maneuvering battle. Experienced GM's seem almost clairvoyant when handling the positions. It is not a sixth sense, but a knowledge of the typical maneuvers and themes that enable them to have their pieces where they need them, when they need them. This book provides a complete course in helping the reader to understand those themes.
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    Understanding the Spanish
    Catalog Code: B0070BT
    Our Price: $9.95

    An Opening Repertoire for the Attacking Player
    The average club or tournament player has little time for an exhaustive study of opening theory, but does need to obtain a satisfactory middle-game position. This work is intended to provide all he needs to know to reach interesting and sharp positions which offer good prospects for the imaginative player. The authors give one line against each popular variation, with particular care being taken to choose systems which will suit the attacking player's style.
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    An Opening Repertoire for the Attacking Player
    Catalog Code: B0113BT
    Our Price: $12.95

    An Opening Repertoire For the Attacking Player
    One of the hardest tasks competitive chess players face is the development of an opening repertoire suited to their own style of play. In this book, Grandmaster Gufeld makes the job easier by providing an ideal framework for a practical opening repertoire, specifically tailored for those who relish attacking play.
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    An Opening Repertoire For the Attacking Player
    Catalog Code: B0265EM
    Our Price: $17.95

    Inside Chess Opening Novelties: KID Bayonet Attack
    White attacks the Queenside with 9.b4 in the Classical Variation of the King's Indian Defense 1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.Nc3 Bg7 4.e4 d6 5.Be2 0-0 6.Nf3 e5 7.0-0 Nc6 8.d5 Ne7. The Introduction explains what is happening, then each of ten chapters has a short comment on theory. There is a total of 200 games with the main ones having notes.
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    Inside Chess Opening Novelties: KID Bayonet Attack
    Catalog Code: CB0003XX
    Our Price: $9.95

    Chess Openings Lexicon
    If you're looking for an easy-to-use guide for identifying, classifying and describing all of the Chess openings and their variations, look no further than this book!!

    When it comes to the chess openings, most chess players are completely confused by the endless number of openings and their variations.
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    Chess Openings Lexicon
    Catalog Code: CB0017CD
    Our Price: $6.95

    The Anti-Meran Botvinnik
    Recent analysis and forgotten ideas on this Slav Defense variation where White plays 5.Bg5 and a later sac 9.Nxg5. Any 1.d4 player who hopes to fight for an advantage against the otherwise solid Semi-Slav must be prepared from both sides of the board.
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    The Anti-Meran Botvinnik
    Catalog Code: CB0017XX
    Our Price: $9.95

    The Fighting Fajarowicz
    The Budapest, 1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e5, is really a counterattack rather than a defense. It appeals to players who like to challenge White for the initiative early in the game. This particularly applies to the Fajarowicz Variation, 3.dxe4 Ne4, in which(by contrast with the 3..Ng4 main line of the Budapest) Black puts more emphasis on fighting for key squares than on seeking the early recapture of the pawn he has given up. This book contains 3 different sections: 1)Ideas for black to aim for and areas to avoid; 2)A 12 chapter Analysis section(including one with explanation on what to do if white avoids the Fajarowicz on move 3; and 3)A Complete Games section with well over 300 games ranging from unannotated to lightly annotated for you to study.
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    The Fighting Fajarowicz
    Catalog Code: CB0019CD
    Our Price: $7.95

    The Dynamic Philidor Counter-Gambit
    Black defends his King's pawn before proceding with similar play as in the Greco Counter-Gambit. Suddenly White does not have positional play against a Philidor Defense, but is thrown into tactical complications of this gambit. You, as Black, will know what to do while your opponent eats time on his clock trying, repeat trying, to find his way. Black is playing to win.
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    The Dynamic Philidor Counter-Gambit
    Catalog Code: CB0068CD
    Our Price: $5.95

    Winning with the Giuoco Piano and the Max Lange Attack
    here are 30 important theoretical revisions in this 2nd edition. Nine chapters cover 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Nf6 4.d4. Learn both a positional and a dynamic attacking weapon to shatter your opponents' King's pawn defenses.
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    Winning with the Giuoco Piano and the Max Lange Attack
    Catalog Code: CB0070CD
    Our Price: $9.95

    How to Play the Torre Attack - Second, Thoroughly Revised Edition
    White plays 1.d4 Nf6 2.Nf3 followed by Bg5. The Torre Attack is a very flexible opening employed by white which involves quick development and fight for control of the e4 square. A standard setup would involve placing the queen's knight on d2, light-squared bishop to d3, king's rook to e1 after a quick castling, and pawn to e3 or e4. However, there is a flexibility that allows for many different setups, depending on the strategic path that the white player wishes to employ and black's setup. This flexible, dynamic system has been employed by virtually every top GM at some point in their career, even at the World Championship match level. Schiller shows why this opening system should be part of every player's repertoire.
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    How to Play the Torre Attack - Second, Thoroughly Revised Edition
    Catalog Code: CB0075CD
    Our Price: $4.95

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